Mangle



N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITMOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. DvC,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE COOMBS, OF WEST FALLS, NEW YORK.

MANGLE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,890, dated April 17, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE CooMs, of West Falls, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Mangles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention, relates to the construction and arrangement of the several parts of the mangle so that a heavily weighted box can easily be moved back and forth upon rollers over the clothes to be smoothed.

Figure I, is a perspective of my improved mangle.

A, represents the main supporting frame.

B, represents the floor or table therein upon which the clothes are laid to be smoothed.

C, represents an oblong box, which is to be filled or weighted with sand or other heavy material, to the amount of several hundred pounds. It has cords d-e, fastened to it at each end, which cords connect with and wind around the windlass F, so that by turning the windlass by means of the crank I back and forth the box will be moved to and fro upon the rollers, causing the rollers G to roll with great pressure upon the clothes spread upon the table.

H, are friction rollers placed in the side pieces of the frame to guide the box c in its movement and prevent it from rubbing against the frame.

The mangle is made wholly of wood.

Operation: The windlass is turned so as to carry the weighted box C, back to the limit of its movement which will nearly balance it upon the roller at the end of the table, and the shortened cord will slightly raise the end which is over the table. The clothes to be smoothed are moistened as usual for common ironing, and spread upon the table B, so that the rollers will pass over them. One, two or more rollers are placed at appropriate distances from each other, so that they will roll over and upon the entire surface of the clothes as they are laid upon the table. By turning the windlass to and fro the box c will be moved back and forth. Its whole weight resting upon the rollers will cause the rollers to roll upon the clothes with great pressure insomuch as to render them perfectly smooth by two or three times passing over them. Five or six or more thicknesses of cloth may thus be smoothed at the same time. There needs to be no heat in the box nor in the rollers. The weight and pressure of the box is sufficient without heat.

The arrangement is such that it requires but very little strength exerted -on the crank I to move the box over the rollers.

Sheets, towels, napkins, table cloths &c. &c. may be smoothed with great rapidity and comparatively small amount of labor. When shirts or articles of clothing having buttons they should be so placed upon the table as not to allow the rollers to roll over the buttons. In such case a common smoothing iron may be used to finish up that part of the article contiguous to the buttons which was not affected by the mangle.

I have used this device for some time past and have found it to be very useful and convenient and a great saving of labor. It also saves the expense of fuel incurred in heating the common smoothing iron, and will do the work of at least six persons using the ordinary smoothing iron.

I claim as my invention- The combination and arrangement of the weighted box C, windlass F, smoothing table B, and rollers G, with the frame A, for the purposes and substantially as herein described.

GEoRGE cooMBs.

Witnesses:

W. H. FoRBUsH, A. M. WHEELER. 

